Nano-dielectrics in biosystems

Abstract

Here, the nano-sized dielectrics in biosystems and their functions are reviewed. For a variety of electromagnetic phenomena observed in biosystems, from a generation of weak electrical pulses in all kinds of neural systems to generation of high-power electrical pulses for sensing and attacking preys in electric eels, nano-dielectrics, such as lipid membrane, always play an important role. The electromagnetic pulses in neural systems are created by transmembrane ionic fluxes through a cluster of ion channels embedded in a lipid membrane, but the high-power pulses released by electric eels are simultaneously generated by billions of ion channels. An overlooked function of the nano-dielectrics is that they build up a network serving as the major transmitting paths for electromagnetic pulses in dendrites and axons, and even in ordinary cell membranes. Many fundamental questions in the working mechanisms of nano-dielectrics in nature biosystems remain open and answers to these questions may lead to novel, high-efficiency manmade power supplies and a better understanding of brain functions.